New Delhi:

The Indian government will “naturally oppose any move giving political space to extremism and advocacy of violence”, the Foreign Ministry said Friday in its weekly press briefing. The ministry also said India had protested with the Canadian High Consulate in Delhi and asked for appropriate action.

The reference was to the Canadian parliament observing a moment of silence in the memory of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed outside a gurdwara in Canada’s British Columbia province last year. A video released by news agency IANS showed MPs observing silence after Speaker Greg Fergus said, “… I understand there is an agreement to observe a moment of silence in memory of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, assassinated in Surrey one year ago today.”

Nijjar was wanted in India for being the “mastermind” of the Khalistani Tiger Force, a designated terror group in this country. Last July, anti-terror agency NIA announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for the capture of Nijjar in connection with the murder of a Hindu priest in Punjab’s Jalandhar.

READ | India’s Kanishka Reply To Canada Parliament’s Nijjar Move

Nijjar is also accused in the 2007 bombing of a cinema in Punjab.

On his killing, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed “agents” of the Indian government were involved in killing Nijjar, a Canadian citizen. Those allegations, repeated frequently since, have led to tense relations between the two nations, including awkward moments between the Canadian leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi when India held the G20 Summit last year.

India has firmly rubbished Canada’s allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated” and noting that Mr Trudeau has yet to provide evidence, of any sort, to back his claim.

“Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists… who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Inaction of Canada is a matter of continuing concern,” the Indian side had side.

Nijjar’s murder is being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and four Indian nationals have been arrested.

On the Canadian parliament’s move to honour the memory of Nijjar, the Indian consulate in Vancouver announced a memorial service – to be held on Sunday – to pay tribute to the 329 victims of the Air India flight bombed by Khalistani terrorists in 1985.

The Air India Flight travelling from Montreal to London had blown up 31,000 feet above the ground when a bomb planted by Canadian Sikh terrorists went off. The 329 passengers killed in the incident included 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens, and 24 Indian citizens. This bombing is among the deadliest acts of aviation terrorism.

On that subject an Indian-origin Canada MP, Chandra Arya, said the ideology responsible for the terrorist attack is still alive among a few people in his country.

READ | Canada MP On Kanishka Bombing, Says “Dark Forces Energised Again”

Speaking in the Canadian Parliament, he said the celebration of ex-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination by “Khalistani supporters” demonstrated that “dark forces have been energised again”.

He also highlighted the concerns of Hindu Canadians regarding recent incidents.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

A group of protesters hold yellow flags with the word Khalistan, as well as a banner with the picture of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh, during a protest outside India’s consulate, a week after Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the prospect of New Delhi’s involvement in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada September 25, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

A Canadian court has thrown out a bid by two Sikh extremists to get off the country’s no-fly list, saying there are “reasonable grounds” to suspect they will threaten transportation security or travel by air to commit a terrorism offence.

The Federal Court of Appeal in its ruling this week dismissed an appeal by Bhagat Singh Brar and Parvkar Singh Dulai after they lost a constitutional challenge of their no-fly designations under Canada’s Secure Air Travel Act, The Canadian Press news agency reported from Vancouver on Thursday.

The two were not allowed to board planes in Vancouver in 2018.

The ruling says the act empowers the Public Safety Minister to ban people from flying if there are “reasonable grounds to suspect they will threaten transportation security or travel by air to commit a terrorism offence.”

“At some point, the appellants tried to fly. They could not,” the ruling says. “They were on the list and the minister had directed that they not fly.”

The appellate panel found that based on confidential security information, the minister “had reasonable grounds to suspect that the appellants would travel by air to commit a terrorism offence.”

In 2019, Brar and Dulai went to the Federal Court of Canada to have their names struck from the list.

But Justice Simon Noel ruled against them both in 2022.

The limits imposed on Dulai, he ruled, “were the result of evidence-based suspicions that he could fly abroad in order to plot a terrorist attack.”

“The Government of Canada must enact laws that protect national security and intelligence activities in a way that respects rights and freedoms and encourages the international community to do the same,” Judge Noel ruled.

In their appeal, both Brar and Dulai argued the impairment of their rights as a result of being placed on the list was not “minimal” and therefore unjustified.

However, the appellate court ruled the legislation was justified and that confidential portions of the court process were procedurally fair.

The Secure Air Travel Act deals with “national security, international relations and global co-operation to prevent terrorism” and is “not directed to past events that are tangible, certain and known,” the appellate court found.

“Rather, it is forward-looking, designed to act preventatively, proactively and pre-emptively to deal with perhaps imprecise but nevertheless very real risks of harm to property, public safety and human life,” the ruling says. “Several of its features show careful tailoring to minimize the impairment of rights and freedoms.”

Judge David Stratas, who wrote for the three-judge panel, says while the courts need to protect rights, the stakes for government are “sky-high” for security and terrorism prevention, which warrants giving Parliament “some leeway.” Lawyers for Brar and Dulai did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the court’s ruling.

According to sources in New Delhi, Dulai is a member of the banned Babbar Khalsa.

They said Dulai is a close associate of opposition New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh. Dulai runs a channel called “Channel Punjabi” from Surrey and “ Global TV” from Chandigarh.

Both the channels spread Khalistani propaganda, they said.

The court’s ruling came against the backdrop of severe strain in India-Canada ties following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing.

New Delhi rejected Mr. Trudeau’s charges as “absurd” and “motivated”.

India has been maintaining that the main issue between the two countries is that of Ottawa giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Canadian PM Justin Trudeau at the G7 Outreach Summit, in Apulia on Friday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Amidst severe strain in bilateral ties, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on June 15 that there was a commitment to work together with India to deal with some “very important issues” after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.

PM Modi had posted an image on social media of the two leaders shaking hands on June 14, with a one-liner saying “met Canadian PM Justin Trudeau at the G7 Summit”.

The meeting which took place on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Apulia, southern Italy, is the first amid strained diplomatic relations over pro-Khalistani extremism after Mr. Trudeau alleged that Canadian authorities are “actively pursuing credible allegations” related to Indian Government involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist.

The Canadian allegations from last year were strongly rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) as “absurd and motivated”.

“I’m not going to get into the details of this important, sensitive issue that we need to follow up, but this was a commitment to work together, in the coming times, to deal with some very important issues,” Mr. Trudeau  told reporters at a press conference in Savelletri Di Fasano in Italy on June 15, the concluding day of the three-day G7 Summit.

The last meeting between the two leaders happened on the sidelines of the G20 Summit hosted by India in September.

Soon after the meeting on June 14 evening, the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders had a “brief discussion on the bilateral relationship”, during which Mr. Trudeau  also congratulated PM Modi on his re-election.

“Of course, there are important issues between our two countries right now. You can appreciate that we won’t be making any further statements at this time,” spokesperson Ann-Clara Vaillancourt was quoted by the Canadian Press news agency as saying.

India has been maintaining that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.

India has repeatedly conveyed its “deep concerns” to Canada and New Delhi expects Ottawa to take strong action against those elements.

Nijjar’s murder is being probed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Four Indian nationals have been arrested in this connection by the RCMP.

PM Modi’s meeting with Mr. Trudeau came at the end of a packed day of bilateral meetings for the Prime Minister, including with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — the host of the summit. He also had discussions with other world leaders gathered for the summit, including with U.S. President Joe Biden.

Prime Minister Modi joined leaders of Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to address the Outreach session on Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa and the Mediterranean, along with Pope Francis, on the invitation of Meloni.

Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh, three of four individuals charged with murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, appear in Surrey Provincial Court in Surrey, Canada, on May 21, 2024, in a courtroom sketch.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Three Indian nationals accused of killing Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year appeared in person for the first time in a Canadian court on May 21, with the judge ordering them to have no contact with several people in the community.

Karan Brar (22), Kamalpreet Singh (22), and Karanpreet Singh (28) appeared in person at the British Columbia Provincial Court in Surrey and Amandeep Singh (22) appeared via video link, the Vancouver Sun reported.

The British Columbia judge has ordered all four of them to have no contact with several people in the community in their latest court appearance, the report added.

Those appearing in person wore red prison sweatsuits as they entered the courtroom, while Amandeep remains in custody in Ontario where he was facing unrelated weapons before being arrested on May 10 for Nijjar’s killing.

Judge Mark Jette spoke to the men through an interpreter as he placed them under the no-contact order, before adjourning until the suspects’ next appearance on June 25.

Richard Fowler, the lawyer representing Karan Brar, told the Vancouver Sun,” It’s completely understandable given the context why there is an enormous amount of community interest in this case. That level of community interest makes me…to ensure that those charged with these offences have a fair trial.”

“And I have no doubt the members of East Indian community, broader Canadian community and the international community are equally interested in ensuring that there was a fair trial, that justice is done.”

Attendees at the latest hearing for the men were searched before entering the courthouse, while a protest by supporters of Nijjar and the Sikh separatist movement he championed was taking place outside.

Sheriffs at the hearing placed peoples’ phones in plastic zipper bags and kept them outside the courtroom in plastic bins, with the judge warning observers that recording audio and taking pictures was prohibited, the report added.

Hundreds of local Sikhs carrying Khalistan flags and posters showed up at the courthouse.

Nijjar, 45, was killed outside Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18, 2023.

The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar.

Ottawa:

One of the suspects in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, has said in a social media video that he entered Canada on a ‘study permit’ which only took him days to obtain, Canada-based global news reported.

The accused, Karan Brar, in a video posted online in 2019, said he applied for a student visa through EthicWorks Immigration Services in Bathinda, in the Indian state of Punjab.

He said he received his study visa days later, according to a translation of his Punjabi-language statement, as per Global News.

The promotional video and a picture of Brar, who the firm claimed was from Kotkapura, a city north of Bathinda, were uploaded on EthicWorks’ Facebook page.

“Congratulations Karan Brar for the Canada study visa,” the caption below the video read. “One more happy client from Kotkapura,” reported Global News.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller has declined to answer questions about how the suspects came to Canada, but online posts indicate that Brar arrived on a student permit three years before the killing.

According to another Facebook page purportedly owned by Brar, he moved to Edmonton on May 4, 2020, after starting his studies at Bow Valley College in Calgary on April 30, 2020, Global News reported.

However, questions concerning the subject have not yet received a response from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Brar, 22, Karanpreet Singh, 28, and Kamalpreet Singh, 22, were all taken into custody in Edmonton on Friday. They are accused of murder and conspiracy; they appeared in court in Surrey, British Columbia on Tuesday.

Members of the Sikh Community from British Columbia crowded a Surrey courtroom on Tuesday as three Indian nationals accused of Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing made their first court appearance by video, according to Globe and Mail, a Canada-based news website.

As the trio, dressed in orange jumpsuits, appeared before court, pro-Khalistani protesters chanted slogans and held placards, outside the Surrey provincial court, blaming India’s government for the killing.

The three men were taken into custody in Edmonton last week on Friday and are accused of first-degree murder and murderous conspiracy in connection with the June 2023 shooting of Nijjar, which severely damaged Canada’s relations with India.

Notably, ties between India and Canada have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused agents of the Indian government of killing Nijjar. However, India has dismissed the accusations as “absurd” and “motivated”.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year. The video of his killing that reportedly surfaced in March this year showed Nijjar being shot by armed men in what has been described as a “contract killing.”

Last week, Canadian police released photographs of all three persons arrested in the killing of India-designated terrorist, Nijjar last year amid an ongoing probe into alleged connections of the Indian government.

Along with photographs of the three accused, the Canadian police also released the photographs of the car believed to have been used by the suspects in the time leading up to the homicide, in and around the Surrey area.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) of Surrey, RCMP had said that on the morning of May 3, IHIT investigators, with the assistance of members from the British Columbia and Alberta RCMP and the Edmonton Police Service, arrested the three men for the June 2023 killing of Nijjar.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Three Indian nationals accused of killing Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, have appeared before a Canadian court through video for the first time to face homicide charges in a case that has soured Canada-India relations.

Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, all Indian nationals residing in Edmonton, were arrested and charged on May 3 with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

They appeared separately by video in front of a packed Surrey provincial courtroom on May 7 to acknowledge the charges of first-degree murder and conspiring to commit murder and to agree to have their cases adjourned to May 21 to give them time to consult with their lawyers, the Vancouver Sun newspaper reported.

The three believed to be members of an alleged hit squad appeared before the Surrey Provincial Court in British Columbia province, the report said.

Each of them appeared separately from North Fraser Pretrial Centre wearing jail-issued red T-shirts or sweatshirts and sweatpants.

Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh activist whose killing has divided Canada and India?

Two of the accused appeared in the morning while Kamalpreet Singh’s appearance was delayed until after lunch to give him time to consult with a lawyer.

All three agreed to have the proceedings heard in English and each of them nodded that they understood the charges of first-degree murder and conspiring to murder Nijjar, the report said.

The court granted the Crown prosecutor’s request for a no-contact order naming seven people under a Canada Criminal Code section that bans the accused from communicating directly or indirectly with any of them.

Those named on the order are Nijjar’s son Balraj Nijjar, 21, and Harjinder Nijjar, Mehtab Nijjar, Sarandeep Sehaj, Harsimranjeet Singh, Arshdeep Kapoor and Malkit Singh, the report added.

The three accused men had a brief appearance before an adjudicator on May 4 for an interim judicial release hearing, after which they were kept in custody.

Their next step would be to have their lawyers apply for bail, said Surrey criminal and immigration lawyer Affan Bajwa, who has no connection to the case.

Mr. Bajwa said their chances of being released on bail would depend on whether their lawyers could make a strong case to the judge.

“I think it may be difficult for them to be released on bail because of a possible flight risk and risk to public safety,” he said.

Mr. Bajwa also said if the case goes ahead, the men would be tried in Canada and if found guilty of first-degree murder would have no chance of parole for at least 25 years.

If they are foreign nationals or permanent residents, as soon as they’re released, they would face a deportation hearing by the Canada Border Services Agency, he said.

If found not guilty, they could still be deported, according to a Supreme Court of Canada ruling in September in which the nine judges unanimously ruled that a foreign national could be deemed inadmissible to Canada on security grounds under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of “being a danger to the security of Canada,” according to Canadian Lawyer Magazine, the Vancouver Sun report said.

Hundreds of local Khalistan supporters showed up at the courthouse. A separate overflow room inside the courthouse was opened to accommodate an additional 50 people who wanted to witness the hearing.

Another 100 or so people outside the courthouse waved Khalistan flags and carried posters supporting Sikh separatism.

Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023.

The indictments May 3 allege the conspiracy unfolded in both Surrey and Edmonton between May 1, 2023, and the date of Nijjar’s killing.

The alleged hitmen entered Canada over the past five years and were suspected of involvement in the world of drug trafficking and violence, according to local police.

India had on May 2 rejected fresh comments by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the killing of Nijjar and said the remarks once again illustrated the political space given in Canada to separatism, extremism, and violence.

Mr. Trudeau addressed a Khalsa Day event in Toronto on May 5 that was attended by some pro-Khalistan supporters.

The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Mr. Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of 45-year-old Nijjar.

India has dismissed Mr. Trudeau’s charges as “absurd” and “motivated.” The presence of Sikh separatist groups in Canada has long frustrated India, which had designated Nijjar a “terrorist.” The police suggested more arrests might be coming. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Assistant Commissioner David Teboul, the force’s commander for the Pacific region, said May 3 that he wouldn’t comment on the alleged links between the three men arrested and Indian officials but noted the force is “investigating connections to the government of India.” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on May 4 said what is happening in poll-bound Canada over the killing of Nijjar is mostly due to their internal politics and has nothing to do with India.

He said a section of pro-Khalistan people are using Canada’s democracy, creating a lobby and have become a vote bank.

The ruling party in Canada has no majority in Parliament and some parties depend on pro-Khalistan leaders, he said.

“We have convinced them several times not to give visa, legitimacy or political space to such people which is causing problems for them [Canada], for us and also for our relationship,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

But the Canadian government has not done anything, Mr. Jaishankar said, adding that India sought the extradition of 25 people, most of whom are pro-Khalistan, but they did not pay any heed.

“Canada did not give any proof. They do not share any evidence with us in certain cases, police agencies also do not cooperate with us. It is their political compulsion in Canada to blame India. As elections are coming in Canada, they indulge in vote bank politics,” the Minister said.

A view of the High Commission of India, in Ottawa, Canada.
| Photo Credit: AP

Canada has welcomed India’s decision to resume some visa services in the country from October 26, saying the move was a “good sign” after “an anxious time” for many Canadians, amid a diplomatic row over the killing of a Sikh separatist.

India’s High Commission in Canada said on October 25 that the country’s officials will resume processing some types of visa applications for Canadians applying from across the country as well as abroad.

Also read | An India-Canada bonding that is in danger of snapping

The decision came a month after New Delhi suspended the services in Canada and for Canadian citizens worldwide as tensions flared between the two nations last month following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia.

India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020. India has rejected Mr. Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”.

On Wednesday afternoon, Immigration Minister Marc Miller called India’s move “a good sign” after “an anxious time” for his many Canadians.

“Our feeling is that a suspension should never have happened in the first place,” he was quoted as saying by CTV News.

He said the “really concerning diplomatic situation with India has created a lot of fear in a lot of communities.” Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, who is also a Sikh, said the resumption of visa processing is good news, but wouldn’t speculate on what message New Delhi is trying to send.

“It’s good to see that they have resumed that. It would have been nice (if) they didn’t take it in the first place,” Mr. Sajjan told reporters.

He said it was important that Indians and Canadians can go back and forth when it comes to events such as weddings and funerals. He added that Ottawa is still seeking India’s help as police investigate the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India will resume services for entry visas, business visas, medical visas and conference visas.

Marilyne Guevremont, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada (GAC) – the department that manages the country’s diplomatic and consular relations, told CBC News that GAC is aware of the Indian government’s “decision to resume certain categories of visa processing for Canadians.” “Canada and India share important people-to-people ties and India’s resumption of visa services will make it easier for families and businesses to travel between our countries,” Ms. Guevremont.

In a statement, the Canada-India Business Council said it was “a promising development” for trade relations. “It is also a positive sign that both governments have expressed their support for bilateral business and investments amidst these unusual times,” wrote council head Victor Thomas. The development came days after Canada pulled out 41 of its diplomats from India.

Before Mr. Trudeau’s announcement dramatically heightened tensions between Canada and India, New Delhi had publicly denounced protests by Sikh separatist groups outside its diplomatic missions in Canada, as well as posters that appeared to offer cash rewards in exchange for the home addresses of Indian diplomats. India formally called on Canada to better uphold its duty to protect foreign diplomats.

India had also asked Canada to come down hard on terrorists and anti-India elements operating from its soil and suspended visa services for Canadians.

Canada has shifted a number of its diplomats stationed at missions in India outside of New Delhi
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Canada has shifted a number of its diplomats stationed at missions in India outside of New Delhi to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, CTV news of Canada has reported citing sources.

The report came a day after External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed that the two sides were in conversation to ensure “parity” in the presence of diplomatic staff in each other’s missions. 

The Ministry is yet to comment on the report and the High Commission of Canada said it had “no comment” to offer. During the weekly press briefing held on Thursday, Mr. Bagchi did not confirm if India wanted evacuation of 41 Canadian diplomats as was reported by the Financial Times on October 3 but reiterated that Canada maintained “much higher” diplomatic presence in India. He said: “I would assume there would be a reduction.” 

Citing Canadian sources, CTV news reported on Friday that the issue was not about removing 41 diplomats but to address India’s call for “parity” in diplomatic staff. Movement of foreign diplomats from India to neighbouring countries is a rare development indicating nosediving relation between Ottawa and New Delhi. 

For more than a fortnight, India-Canada relation has been caught in an unprecedented crisis over the June 18 murder of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The matter took a dramatic turn when Prime Minister Trudeau took it up in the Canadian parliament and blamed Indian agents for being behind the murder. 

Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomats immediately after Mr. Trudeau made the statement in the House of Commons on September 18. India described the charge as “absurd” and hit back by expelling a senior Canadian diplomat from the Canadian High Commission here. Further, India also implemented a visa ban for Canadian citizens which, however, exempted owners of valid Indian visas and PIO-card holders. 

The Financial Times report, however, indicated an escalation in the crisis which came more or less simultaneously with a slew of comments by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who in his public comments in the U.S. referred to Canada giving space to extremists. 

Mr. Trudeau and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly has maintained that they were in talks with India with the latter maintaining that it was necessary for Canada to have diplomats on the ground in Delhi as relation between the two sides has hit an “extremely challenging time”.  

New Delhi:

India will raise all issues with the Canadian speaker of the Senate during the upcoming Parliament-20 meeting of the G20 nations’ presiding officers scheduled here next week, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Friday. The presiding officers of 25 countries and 10 deputy speakers from the G20 member nations and invitee countries are expected to attend the P20 Summit that will be held at the India International Convention and Expo Centre — Yashobhoomi — at Dwarka from October 13 to 14.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) on October 13.

Canada will be represented at the P20 Summit by Speaker of the Senate Raymonde Gagne. India’s relations with Canada have been under severe strain after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.

“We will discuss issues that have been listed for the summit. Other issues will be discussed informally,” Mr Birla said when asked whether the matter of using the Canadian Parliament to level allegations against India will be raised with the Canadian presiding officer.

More than 350 delegates are expected to attend the three-day summit that will see the participation of 50 members of Parliament, 14 general secretaries, 26 vice-presidents, the International Parliamentary Union president, and the president of the Pan-African Parliament.

“The main theme of the 9th P20 is proposed to be ‘Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future’,” Mr Birla told a press conference here.

Presiding Officers of Parliaments of G20 Nations, and 10 other invited Nations and Heads of international parliamentary organisations will attend the Summit. Delegates will brainstorm on important issues like SDGs, green energy, bridging digital gap and gender equality.

— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) October 6, 2023

The P20 Summit will have four sessions on “Transformation in People’s Lives through Public Digital Platforms”, “Women-led Development”, “Accelerating SDGs” and “Sustainable Energy Transition”, he said.

“A pre-summit event, namely Parliamentary Forum on Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), will be held on October 12 at Yashobhoomi. An exhibition titled ‘Mother of Democracy’ will also be organised to highlight India’s ancient and participative democratic traditions,” Mr Birla said.

The P20 delegates will also be taken on a tour of the new Parliament House, followed by a cultural evening and dinner hosted by the speaker. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ottawa:

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Tuesday said that the country wants “private talks with India to resolve a diplomatic dispute” over the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Reuters reported.

 “We are in contact with the government of India. We take Canadian diplomats’ safety very seriously and we will continue to engage privately because we think diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private,” Reuters quoted Joly as saying to reporters.

There is a strain in India-Canada relations following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations regarding the Indian government’s ‘potential role’ in the fatal shooting of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.

Trudeau, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

However, India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.

Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The country has said it wants to “work constructively with India” regarding the allegations.

Trudeau on Tuesday said that his country was not “looking to escalate the situation with India,” adding that Ottawa wants to remain on the ground in New Delhi to help Canadians, Reuters reported. 

“Canada is not looking to escalate the situation with India, will continue to engage responsibly and constructively with New Delhi. We want to be on the ground in India to help the Canadian families there,” Reuters quoted Trudeau as saying. 

Trudeau had said last week that Canada is still committed to building closer ties with India, despite “credible allegations of the Indian government’s involvement” in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada-based National Post reported. India has rejected the claims as “absurd” and “motivated”.

Pointing to the increasing influence of India worldwide, Trudeau said that it is “extremely important” that Canada and its allies continue to engage with India.

“India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. And as we presented with our Indo-Pacific strategy, just last year, we’re very serious about building closer ties with India,” he had told reporters.

“At the same time, obviously, as a rule of law country, we need to emphasize that India needs to work with Canada to ensure that we get the full facts of this matter,” National Post quoted Trudeau as saying.